Why was the Siskin notable in the RAF?

Short answer

It was the first all-metal fighter operated by the RAF and one of the first new fighters to enter service after the end of World War I. The first Siskin IIIs were delivered to No. 41 Squadron at RAF Northolt. The main variant, the IIIA, saw 348 aircraft built, 340 for the RAF.

Published: November 2, 2026 · Updated: November 2, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA upper wingAlan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK (CC BY SA), vía commons

The RAF's first all-metal fighter

The Siskin was the first all-metal fighter operated by the Royal Air Force, and also one of the first new fighters to enter service after the end of World War I. The RAF's first Siskin IIIs were delivered to No. 41 Squadron at RAF Northolt. The Siskin III was the all-metal production version, with 64 aircraft built for the RAF.

From Dragonfly to Jaguar

By 1920, the engine meant to replace the Dragonfly had been developed enough to be named the Jaguar. A Siskin prototype fitted with the Jaguar first flew on 20 March 1921.

Production, displays and replacement

In September 1926, the first deliveries of the improved Siskin IIIA variant were made, assigned to No. 111 Squadron. The IIIA was the main production variant, ordered in 1926, with a total of 348 aircraft built: 340 for the RAF and eight for the RCAF. Between 1925 and 1931, Siskins were frequently displayed at RAF air shows. Romania ordered 65 aircraft but cancelled the order after a fatal accident at Whitley Abbey, Coventry, on 18 February 1925, in which a Romanian pilot died crashing on takeoff during acceptance trials. In October 1932, the last Siskins in RAF service were withdrawn, replaced by the more modern and capable Bristol Bulldog.